Dhaka: The leaders of Bangladesh’s minority communities will meet with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus of the interim government on Tuesday in Dhaka. This comes after reports of ongoing attacks and vandalism, particularly targeting Hindus, have come in from all over the country since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on August 5.
Abul Fayez Muhammad Khalid Hossain, a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar who is currently the Yunus-led interim government’s advisor for religious affairs, made this statement to the media on Monday in Dhaka: “The current establishment believes in communal harmony and condemns the attack on minorities.”
At the Monday afternoon media briefing held at the Secretariat building, local media reported that Hossain claimed that the attacks on minority populations were carried out by “miscreants” and that the interim administration would take appropriate action against them.
The advisor assured everyone that miscreants would face consequences and that a hotline would be established later on Monday to report any instances of home invasions.
Hossain further said that a list of the homes and temples that have been destroyed is being created and that the victims will receive financial support.
Brigadier General (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, the interim government’s advisor on home affairs, apologised to the nation’s minority Hindu community on Sunday for not shielding them from the violence that enveloped the country.
“I apologise to my brothers from the minority community for what they had to go through. I believe that the minorities are still facing violence in many places. Policing is not in a good condition right now, so I urge the society at large to protect minorities. They are our brothers, and we have all grown up together,” said Hossain.
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The advisor guaranteed that appropriate security protocols will be implemented for the forthcoming Hindu holidays of Durga Puja and Janmashtami.
Tens of thousands of Hindus gathered on Saturday in the centre of Chittagong, Bangladesh, to stage a large-scale protest rally against the continued attacks on their group and to demand their rights to safety and equality with other nationals.
Around seven lakh people, by some estimates, turned out for the march, which took place at Chittagong’s historic Cheragi Pahar square. The demonstrators were protesting against the violence against Hindus that has persisted since former PM Hasina’s departure to India.
Radicals are thought to have harmed hundreds of Hindus over the past few days by attacking their homes, places of business, and even temples.
The country’s interim administration, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, took office on August 8 but faces significant challenges due to the ongoing unrest.
An ‘open letter’ was issued to Yunus on August 9 by the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad in Bangladesh, expressing “profound sorrow and concern” at a certain group’s “unprecedented violence” against the minorities.
“We seek protection because our lives are in a disastrous state. We are staying up at night guarding our homes and religious places. I have never seen such incidents in my life. We demand that the government restore communal harmony in the country,” Nirmal Rosario, the president of the unity council, was quoted as saying by ‘The Daily Star’.
The letter mentioned that the communal violence that began immediately after Hasina left Dhaka has caused “widespread fear, anxiety, and uncertainty” among the minorities in Bangladesh.
“According to organisational details and media reports, thousands of Hindu families have become destitute, and many temples have been attacked and burned. Numerous women have faced assaults, and there have been murders in several places. Other minorities have also suffered during this period,” the newspaper reported.
Dhaka Tribune also reported Bangladesh Hindu Jagran Mancha is organising processions and rallies to protest against the recent vandalism, arson, looting, and attacks on the Hindu community across the country.
“During the rally, the Hindu community presented a four-point demand: the establishment of a ministry of minorities, the formation of a minority protection commission, the implementation of strict laws to prevent attacks against minorities, and the allocation of 10% of parliamentary seats for minorities,” the newspaper reported on Friday after a protest rally organised in Dhaka’s Shahbagh.
Several quarters are also criticising the interim government for excluding religious texts other than the Quran from its swearing-in ceremony on Thursday.
“The exclusion of readings from other religious texts contradicts our Constitution, the spirit of the Liberation War, and anti-discrimination values. We hope that in future state functions, readings from all major religious texts will be included,” Kajal Devnath, a member of the unity council, was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.
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–IANS
